Not applicable
Not applicable
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to weight resistance exercise devices, specifically to those devices that provide full body training, as well as those that are portable and compact enough to be suitable for travel.
2. Description of Prior Art
The observable effect of muscular performance is motion, and evidently it constitutes the key element of exercise. Hence, any ability to sustain motion to the effect of displacing either external objects, or ones"" own body, would indicate the level of a person""s fitness.
Athletes of every kind have begun to realize the importance, effectiveness, and benefits of resistance training, specifically weightlifting, towards improving their performance. The popularity of weightlifting is reasonably expected due to the fact that it feels more natural, compared to other forms of resistance training, such as those involving elastic mediums. An explanation of such preference may be as simple as the fact that, human nature has evolved throughout the millennia developing muscles to the effect of moving, lifting, pushing, and manipulating objects against gravity.
A variety of exercise devices has emerged over the years, to facilitate an ever-growing number of health and performance conscious people. Simple devices, such as a barbell or a dumbbell, and machines that isolate specific muscles at a time, have become the staple tools of a weight training facility.
However, these facilities require numerous equipment that take space, amount to a lot of weight, and they represent a good deal of monetary investment. The serious athlete faces the limitation of having to pay tuition to such facilities in order to achieve a comprehensive workout. Furthermore, the athlete needs to make frequent visits for a regular workout routine, which is most probably on a daily basis.
An attempt to relieve the inconvenience of commuting to a health club so frequently is evident by several weight-training equipment that have been developed for home use. This type of equipment is designed to combine the functions of several muscle-isolation machines into a compact unit. However, home training centers are still costly, have a significant weight and their transportation would require special effort along with assembly and disassembly of several parts.
A number of handheld devices have become available over the years, attempting to remedy the issue of portability. These devices depart from the use of gravity and they explore other forms of resistance such as elastic, viscous or frictional media. However, non-gravity media does not feel natural to the human body. Therefore, such equipment are suited for low intensity workout routines, which are intended for muscle toning instead of muscle building effect. Furthermore, by virtue of simplicity, there is compromise in function. These devices are often limited, specializing to only certain muscle groups, while failing to provide training for other parts of the body. There is no bodybuilder, to the knowledge of this author, who has developed a competition level physique purely by stretching a rubber band type exerciser or compressing a spring loaded apparatus.
An intermediate solution that combines portability without departing from the gravity type notion of resistance has been explored as well. Devices of this type are using a person""s own body weight as a resistance medium. However, such equipment retain a plurality of moving parts and linkages due to their geometry, and although portable are not suited to carry-on.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 06,024,677 offers enough functionality to exercise both upper and lower body muscles. However, there is a plurality of moving components, a fairly involved construction and an overall size that make this device not suitable for traveling standards. U.S. Pat. No. 06,086,521 offers a more simplistic design, but it is not versatile enough to offer a comprehensive full body workout for a dedicated athlete. Furthermore, this design is still not compact enough to be considered a handheld device that fits within a travel bag.
Generally, when it comes to exercise equipment, the level of portability is inversely proportional to the level of effective weight training potential. Extremely portable devices have limited potential, while those that have extensive weight training potential are not portable. There are also variations in-between the two extremes, but the mere fact of having to compromise makes them fall into the mediocre range.
In summary, there is a number of disadvantages which can be distinguished in the existing exercise devices towards weight resistance training.
a) The simplest, lightest forms of existing portable devices are not versatile enough to be of practical use for muscle building, full body training.
b) Conversely, the more effective devices are not simple or portable enough to be considered for frequent relocation, or simply, traveling convenience.
c) Therefore, existing devices pose limitations so that the option of comprehensive weight-resistance training cannot be offered in a practical way to people who are always on the road.
d) A number of existing devices require the presence of a wall, or a doorframe, or other type of external morphology, in order to function properly. An example of such a device is U.S. Pat. No. 05,944,640.
e) Many exercise devices offer a type of resistance, which is other than gravity or its derivatives. These devices may appeal to some people, but would not feel as intuitive to many who would prefer a weight-resistance type of training.
f) Existing portable exercise equipment cannot accurately replicate the free-weight experience. Free-weights help develop physical intuition by forcing the individual to maintain proper form during exercise. This is accomplished by consciously making adjustments aiming the free-weight to the proper motion path. For example, lifting a barbell in a bench press requires special concentration to keep it straight and prevent it from veering to the sides.
g) All exercise devices, brought to the attention of this author, require manual adjustment of the resistance level. In other words, the operator needs to stop and make adjustments on the device to effect the difficulty of the intended exercise.
The proposed device is an exerciser consisting of a pair of poles with a traction line attached at the lower end of each pole.
The exerciser can be used towards the effect of weight-resistance training, utilizing gravity in a similar way to that of a common push-ups exercise. The operator induces fatigue on a selected muscle by interfacing with the exerciser, in such a way, that any movement of the targeted muscle displaces the operator""s own bodyweight.
The body of each pole features two cushioned handles, one at the top and another one slightly above the middle point. A strap equipped with end buckles is mounted below the top handle of each pole. The function of each strap is to secure the ankles of the operator during a leg curl exercise.
The traction lines provide sufficient foot support during normal use. Each line is a rope folded in half with three equidistant bumps located at the free end. Each bump is a double-rope knot causing the line to form loops in-between such knots. At the middle of each traction line, a strap is attached to form a loop used primarily in a leg extension exercise.
Each pole is designed to separate in half and each line can be folded, thus reducing the overall size of the device, to fit into a bag with similar dimensions to that of a tennis racket. Furthermore, the choice of materials for this exerciser should be so lightweight (but strong) so that the device is considered practically weightless.
A person""s own weight can be a formidable force of resistance, as for example, in a gymnastic xe2x80x9cMaltesexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cIron crossxe2x80x9d stunt on the Still-rings at the Olympic games. Therefore, the proposed device is introduced on the following intentions.
a) To provide a single device versatile enough to offer weight resistance exercises for both upper and lower body muscles.
b) To provide a weight-resistance-training device, which is lightweight and compact enough, that someone would be able to simply pick up, as if it was a tennis racket or a base-ball bat, and go outdoors to workout.
c) To offer a weight training option to people whose profession, or circumstances, force them to be away from home most of the time. As for example, a sea merchant, a truck driver, a soldier, an archeologist doing studies in the field, a business traveler, a camper, people on vacation, and people who do not feel they have to perform their daily workout routine at the same location.
d) To provide an exercise device which is self-standing without needing to be mounted anywhere or require a specific environmental support such as a wall, a doorframe, a step, or a corner, in order to function properly.
e) To preserve the notion of weight-resistance, which feels more natural, inviting, and intuitive, compared to devices that make use of elastic or other alternative mediums.
f) To offer an exercise device that helps improve muscular awareness, concentration, and control. Specifically, the user will be compelled to mentally concentrate and consciously perform minor adjustments of posture in a way to isolate the muscle intended to be trained at that time. This is a way to develop awareness of ones own body, the location of particular muscles and their intended function.
g) To provide a simple exercise device whose resistance can be dynamically varied during exercise. This can be accomplished by minor adjustments of posture, shifting the operator""s center of gravity in order to impose a larger (or smaller component of his/her bodyweight against the working muscles.
There is one more factor, worthy of consideration, which is namely the social motivation element. Many people choose to workout in designated facilities, because it is much harder to maintain discipline in a private environment. Somehow the social and emotional part of a workout experience is often more important than the physical equipment alone. For that purpose, the proposed exercise device is not limited to be used in isolation, but on the contrary, it can be an enhancement to the existing arsenal of equipment for a commercial weightlifting facility. In this context, the proposed exercise device can offer an intensity of workout, which is at a par with existing commercial machines. Furthermore, it offers the option of approaching muscles from unique angles combined with freedom of motion that requires minor muscles for balancing and control. This is a beneficial feature since most dedicated bodybuilders already prefer to use a variety of equipment. The intention is to xe2x80x98hitxe2x80x99 a body-part from as many angles of motion as possible, attempting to reach and develop minor muscles that cannot be easily trained otherwise.
Overview
All drawing figures are numbered from 1 through 31B. Individual parts receive numbers from 40 through 99, while assemblies of several parts are assigned three digit numbers from 100 through 112.
Assemblies
The term xe2x80x98assemblyxe2x80x99 is used to imply a collection of parts. The term xe2x80x98subassemblyxe2x80x99 is used to imply a collection of parts that are a pure subset of a larger collection. Assemblies and subassemblies are indicated in the drawings with the use of arrowheads accompanied with a reference numeral.
100 rigid-member assembly (parts 40 through 70)
102 trunk subassembly (parts 40 through 56)
104 leg subassembly (parts 58 through 70)
106 traction-member assembly (parts 72 through 80
108 primary-cushion subassembly (parts 40A and 40B)
110 ankle-strap subassembly (parts 46A, 46B, 46C, 46D)
112 knee-support subassembly (parts 56A and 56B)
Figures Intended to Show an Overview of the Invention
FIG. 1 shows the exerciser in its complete assembled form
FIG. 2 presents a rear view snapshot with the rigid-member separated from the traction-member of the exerciser
FIG. 3 illustrates the two major components of the rigid-member detached from each other
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, as indicated by section lines 4xe2x80x944 of FIG. 3
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a fully assembled revolving shoe, as indicated by section lines 5xe2x80x945 of FIG. 3
Figures Intended to Show Detail
FIG. 6 is an exploded view for the trunk, or upper section of the rigid-member
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view illustrating the composition of the primary-cushion as indicated by section lines 7xe2x80x947 of FIG. 6
FIG. 8 is a second cross section of the primary-cushion as indicated by section lines 8-8 of FIG. 7
FIG. 9 is cross sectional view illustrating the composition of the knee-support as indicated by section lines 9xe2x80x949 of FIG. 6
FIG. 10 is a second cross section of the knee-support as indicated by section lines 10 of FIG. 9
FIG. 11 illustrates how the lower end of leg subassembly can rotate freely
FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the leg, or lower section of the rigid member
FIG. 13 illustrates a single length of rope folded in half intended to form the basic ingredient of the traction member
FIG. 14 is an exploded view showing the assembly components of the traction-member
FIG. 15 is a magnified view of a double-rope knot
FIG. 16 is a magnified view of a rope clamp
FIG. 17 is a magnified view of a connecting clasp
Figures Illustrating Alternative Embodiments
FIG. 18A is a telescoping tube design fully reduced to its minimum length
FIG. 18B is a telescoping tube design in its fully extended state
FIG. 19A a folding design shown in its semi-folded position, exhibiting multiple auxiliary handles (or convenience openings and a retractable belt.
FIG. 19B shows a folding design with its two members fully unfolded
FIG. 19C the same folding design but with its retractable belt extended in such a way so that its foot-strap bends around the top of the exerciser
FIG. 19D the folding design with an alternative retractable belt arrangement, engaged at two points
FIG. 19E the same arrangement as in FIG. 19D, but the retractable belt is extended to form a larger loop.
Figures Illustrating the Operation of the Invention
Each figure from FIG. 20 to FIG. 31 has an attached letter suffix A or B indicating, respectively, the initial and final stages of the same exercise.
FIGS. 20A and 20B illustrate the use of the device to exercise the arm biceps muscles
FIGS. 21A and 21B present a second variation for the arm biceps muscles
FIGS. 22A and 22B present an exercise for the forearm muscles
FIGS. 23A and 23B present an exercise for the arm triceps muscles
FIGS. 24A and 24B present a second variation for arm triceps muscles
FIGS. 25A and 25B present an exercise for the rear deltoids and the trapezius muscles
FIGS. 26A and 26B present an exercise for the trapezius muscles
FIGS. 27A and 27B present an exercise for the muscles of the upper back, namely the Latissimus dorsi
FIGS. 28A and 28B present an exercise for the back, namely the outer portion of the latissimus dorsi muscles
FIGS. 29A and 29B present an exercise for the pectoral muscles
FIGS. 30A and 30B present an exercise for the leg biceps muscle
FIGS. 31A and 31B present an exercise for the leg quadriceps muscles